1968 History/Videos

Show history for:

Untitled Document

1968 In both Europe and America Japanese imported
cars and other goods were continuing to rise and trouble the governments
of UK and USA as they worried about industries in their own countries
being effected and jobs lost. In the spring of 1968 The Rev Martin Luther
King was assassinated and Robert Kennedy was mortally wounded also the
peace movement had continued to grow and more and more Americans were
against the war in Vietnam, and once again more riots occurred throughout
cities in America. The music scene was once again set by the "Beatles"
and the "Rolling Stones" , and fashion flirted with see through
blouses and midis and maxis skirts joined the Mini Skirt as part of the
fashion trends. There is a Flu Pandemic in Hong Kong and the first Black
power salute is seen on Television worldwide during an Olympics medal
ceremony

Cost of Living 1968

How Much things cost in 1968
Yearly Inflation Rate USA 4.27%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 943
Average Cost of new house $14,950.00
Average Income per year $7,850.00
Average Monthly Rent $130.00
Gas per Gallon 34 cents
Average Cost of a new car $2,822.00
Movie Ticket $1.50

What Events Happened in 1968

Anti Vietnam
War protests throughout the western world

North Vietnam and Viet Cong troops launch
the Tet offensive

Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Leader of Negro Civil Rights Movement is killed by James Earl Ray which
leads to Violence and Race Riots in US Cities

Following the Assassination of Martin Luther
King Jr. President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of
1968

RMS Queen Elizabeth - retired from service

Senator Robert Kennedy is assassinated
at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles

Earthquake in Sicily - 231 dead, 262 injured.

Enoch Powell's delivers his "Rivers of
Blood" anti immigration speech

The Third Heart transplant is performed in
South Africa By Dr Christian N Barnard

London Bridge sold for 1 million. and
later re-erected in Arizona.

President Johnson announces on nationwide
television he would not run for another term of office

50,000 people participated in " The Poor
Peoples March " on Washington, D.C.

Population in Europe reaches 455 million (
excluding USSR )

The Kray twins, arrested for the murders of
George Cornell and Jack 'The Hat' McVitie, members of the London underworld.

Televisions installed increases 25 million
US , 20.5 million Japan , 19 million Great Britain

Alec Rose completes his single-handed 354-day
round-the-world trip.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau becomes the Prime Minister
of Canada

Student Occupation at Columbia University
over Universities affiliation with the Institute for Defense Analyse

Aristotle Onassis and Jacqueline Kennedy marry

The Ferry "TEV Wahine" capsizes
in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand

Hong Kong Flu pandemic begins in Hong Kong.

Black power salute is seen on Television worldwide
after the gold and bronze medalists in Olympics show salute during medal
ceremony in Mexico City, Mexico

The Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia was to
provide political liberalization but was crushed by Warsaw Pact countries

800,000 teachers, workers and student
protesters marched through the French capital during a one day general
strike

Popular Culture 1968

The first Big Mac goes on sale in McDonalds

Popular Films

The Graduate

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Bonnie and Clyde

Valley of the Dolls

The Odd Couple

Planet of the Apes

Rosemary's Baby

Popular Musicians

The Rolling Stones

The Supremes

The Beatles with " Hey Jude "

Fleetwood Mac

Aretha Franklin

Gary Puckett and The Union Gap

The Grateful Dead

The Monkees

Simon and Garfunkel " Mrs Robinson "

The Beach Boys

The Bee Gees

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Cream

The Doors " Hello I Love You "

Pink Floyd

Moody Blues

Bobby Goldsboro " Honey "

Marvin Gaye " I heard it through the
Grapevine "

David Bowie

Technology 1968

Boeing 747 made
its maiden flight.

NASA launches Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo
mission

Apollo 8 orbits the Moon, becoming the first
manned space mission to achieve the feat.

Dr. Christian Barnard performs the first successful
heart transplant.

US Explodes experimental hydrogen Bomb.

The Emergency 911 Telephone service
is started in the USA which provides a single number for reporting emergencies
and is manned 24 hrs per day 365 days per year
ATM First Philadelphia Bank installs the first automated teller machine
in the U.S.